


Date Night

by LucindaAM



Series: Beauty and her Beast [12]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst if you squint (but like a soft angst), Babysitting gone bad, F/M, Fluff, Light Swearing, No Smut, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:49:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27131377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LucindaAM/pseuds/LucindaAM
Summary: You and Bruce go on your first overnight vacation without your son. Romance. Fluff. And trouble in baby town.Based on this prompt by LadyDia: "I want to see what happens when one of the other Avengers tries to babysit for more than an hour. Maybe mom and dad have an anniversary, get away for a weekend? Or maybe that second kid is being born, so they're basically unreachable?"
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Reader, Bruce&Stanley, Hulk&Stanley, Reader&Stanley, Reader/Hulk
Series: Beauty and her Beast [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1925902
Comments: 11
Kudos: 28





	Date Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyDia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDia/gifts).



You fussed around Stanley and kissed his head for the thousandth time. “And you call me. You call me if you need anything.” 

Bucky shook his head and laughed. “Doll. Don’t worry. I took care of this punk for years and we didn’t have the internet back then to make things easier. We’ll be fine.” 

You looked at Stanley was busy gnawing on one of Bucky’s metal fingers and then up at Bucky and then over at Steve who nodded encouragingly. “Go on, Y/N. We’ll be fine. I promise.” Steve said. 

You nodded to yourself and took one step backwards before Stanley’s eyes turned to glance at you and you felt your heart fracture. You took a step. “You know . . . maybe I’ll just stay and . . .” 

A firm hand grabbed yours and pulled you back. “Come on, ‘Mama Bean’.” Bruce teased lovingly. “He’ll be fine with Steve and Bucky. The Big Guy? Not so much. He’s anxious to get out of here.” 

You glanced at Bruce and then at your baby and back again before you nodded. You really DID want some alone time with your boyfriend. It had been hard to come by since Stanley had started with his powers. 

You let Bruce lead you away. “Okay. Okay. Just . . . call me, alright?!” You threw one last glance over your shoulder at Steve who nodded seriously. 

“We’ll be fine!” He called after you. He turned his gaze to Stanley who was still busy drooling all over Bucky’s metal arm. “We’ll be fine, right?” He asked. 

Bucky rolled his eyes. “Give me some credit, Stevie.” He said. “I kept you alive, didn’t I?” 

Steve squinted at Stanley who smiled up at him. “Sure. Though I wasn’t a baby at the time.” 

Bucky shrugged a shoulder and walked away. “How much harder could it be?” 

Bruce pulled to a stop outside the cabin Tony had bought in forestland just outside of town. He turned and smiled at you. “This will be fun.” He said. 

You turned and reached out a hand and placed it against the side of his face. “It’s been a while since we’ve had any time to ourselves.” You agreed. 

Bruce leaned over and pressed a kiss to your lips before he unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out of the car. You followed after him, helping him get your bags out of the car. The front door opened automatically as you approached. 

“I hope you had a pleasant drive.” JARVIS said. 

“We did. Thanks, JARVIS.” You responded, stepping into the foyer and glancing around. The entire thing was decorated to the nines and you couldn’t help the wide-eyed glance you shot at Bruce that screamed; ‘How is this our life?’ 

Bruce merely smiled at you and gestured down the hall. “I think the bedroom is down there if you want to freshen up or change. Are you hungry? I can make something.” 

You nodded absently as you continued taking in the grandeur that surrounded you. Tony’s wealth never ceased to amaze you. 

“Any requests?” Bruce asked. 

You shook your head. “No. No, whatever you’d like sounds fine, baby. Thanks.” 

Bruce smiled to himself as you wandered away and he set one of his bags on the floor in the foyer before he moved towards the kitchen. He craned his head to make sure you were nowhere in sight as he opened the other bag and pulled out the small velvet box he’d squirrelled away inside. 

A grumble rumbled through his head. “I’m not going to propose to her in the forest.” He hissed under his breath as his alter-ego started stirring. 

It had taken a long time for the Bruce and Hulk to find middle ground enough to talk to one another. Sometimes Bruce wished they never had. 

“Because it’s dark outside! And it’s cold! You don’t want her to freeze, do you?” 

Hulk grumbled again and Bruce sighed. “Okay. So, let me do it my way. Okay?” 

Hulk settled back into the recesses of Bruce’s mind and Bruce sighed in relief. 

“You say something, baby?” You called down the hallway. 

Bruce shoved the ring box into his pocket as you poked your head around the corner. “No, no. Just getting dinner started.” He said. 

You nodded. “You need any help?” 

Bruce shook his head quickly. “No. You relax for a little bit. Maybe you could call the tower? See how Stanley’s doing. I know you want to.” 

You smiled at him softly. “No. No. You were right. We need this. I already turned my phone off. Bucky and Steve will be fine and if something goes wrong . . . the rest of the team is there too.” 

Bruce nodded. “Alright, well, you still go relax. I’ll call you when dinner’s done.” 

You blew him a kiss before you wandered back towards the bedroom. Bruce sighed in relief and waited until your footsteps disappeared entirely before he turned back to dinner. “Here we go.” He murmured. 

Bucky ran forward and threw himself into a roll as he dove behind the table Steve had kicked up for cover. Bucky glanced at Steve. “What the hell do we do?!” He demanded. 

Steve shook his head dramatically. “We’re pinned down and under fire!” He called into his comms. “Does anyone read?” 

Bucky scrambled for his own comms unit and pushed it into his ear just in time to hear the reply. “Sorry, Capsicle. You’re on your own!” Tony called back. 

Steve shot Bucky a desperate glance before he turned, took a deep breath, and risked a glance over the top of the table. 

A projectile was thrown at his face and Steve ducked back down only a moment before it connected. 

“’How hard could it be?’” He mocked. “’It’s just a baby.’” 

Bucky ran his hands through his hair. “How the hell was I supposed to know that this would happen?!” He demanded. 

Bucky peeked around the corner of the table. Stanley was levitating in midair. His eyes were glowing a blinding white and his matching hair blew around his head as he wailed his tiny lungs out. 

Bucky ducked back behind cover and turned to Steve. “Options?” He asked. 

Steve shook his head. “We call Y/N?” 

Bucky shook his head. “You want to deal with the murder baby or the Hulk?” He asked. 

Steve took a long minute to seriously consider it. “We let him tire himself out?” He asked finally. 

The wailing kicked up a notch and both soldiers glanced at each other with weary resignation as they settled down for the long-haul. “Wonder if it’s too late to go back into cryo.” Bucky grumbled. 

Bruce set the plates on the dinner table and double checked the ring for the thousandth time before he nodded to himself and wandered down the hallway, looking for you. 

“Y/N?” He asked. “Dinner’s ready.” He entered the dark bedroom and saw you sitting in the bay window, a book lying in your lap as you stared out the window at the stars. 

You turned to him and smiled as you pushed to your feet and took his hand as you followed him out into the kitchen. 

“What’s put that smile on your face?” Bruce asked softly as he pulled your chair out for you. 

Your smile grew even larger as you kissed him and slipped into your seat. “Just thinking.” 

“About what?” Bruce asked, slipping into his seat across from you. 

You shrugged a shoulder. “You know we met on a night a lot like this.” You said, turning to your dinner and digging in. 

Bruce smiled ruefully. “Not necessarily a good night for either of us as I remember it.” He reminded you. 

You shrugged and sent him a saucy smile. “I seem to remember it ending fine.” You sipped your wine. 

Bruce held out his hand across the small table and you took it in yours. “Did you ever think we’d be here?” He asked. 

“In a billionaires hidden cabin in the woods on an overnight retreat away from our baby? As a matter of fact . . . “ 

“Oh don’t you dare try to say you knew all along.” Bruce chuckled. 

You shrugged a shoulder. “Maybe not for all of it.” You agreed. You squeezed his hand. “But us? I knew the second I saw The Big Guy in the woods and he saved my life.” 

Bruce shook his head and pulled his hand out of yours. You watched him curiously as he moved his chair until he was sitting right next to you. You glanced at his serious expression and a nervousness settled into your stomach. “Bruce?” You asked. 

He shook his head. “I had all of it planned out. It was going to be perfect. And then you had to go say something like that.” He said. 

“Bruce?” You asked again, setting your wine glass down, truly worried now. 

Bruce pulled something out of his pocket and set it gently on the table in front of you. Your breath caught in your throat. “Bruce?” Your voice sounded high pitched and odd in your ears. 

Bruce shook his head and reached out to open the box. Your breath caught in your throat again as you saw what was inside. “It’s . . . it’s not traditional. But then again, when have we ever been? Our whole life is an adventure in the abnormal and I can’t wait to spend the rest of mine exploring it with you. So, Y/N. Will you . . .” 

You threw yourself in his arms and kissed him senseless. 

“Yes?” He asked pulling away for only long enough to ask before he dove right back in. 

“Mmm-hmm.” You mumbled in between kisses as you wrapped your arms around his neck. Bruce grinned against your lips and then, with strength you normally expected from his other half, he reached down and pulled your legs around his waist and turned, carrying you off to the bedroom. 

“I love you.” He murmured, stroking your face as he laid you on the bed. 

“And I adore you.” You said, smiling up at him. 

Bruce smiled and attacked your lips again. 

For maybe the first time since the serum had been injected into his veins, Steve was breathing heavily. His hands were braced against his knees as he glanced down at the ground where Bucky was cradling a finally sleeping Stanley against his chest. 

Bucky was staring up at Steve with wide eyes. “Holy shit.” He groaned. 

Steve pointed a finger at Bucky’s face. “We never speak of this again.” He ordered. 

Bucky nodded seriously as he pushed to his feet and carried Stanley to the nursery. He gently laid the baby in his crib before he turned and walked out of the room. 

Steve was still struggling to breath and Bucky walked up to him and patted him on the back. “Breath, Stevie.” He reminded him. “He’s fine.” 

Steve scoffed so hard, he almost threw up as he glared up at his friend. 

Bucky smiled awkwardly. “I caught him, didn’t I?” He asked. 

Steve threw up his arms and stomped away leaving Bucky alone and wishing you and Bruce were back already. He glanced around the destroyed apartment and sighed before he got to work. 

You waltzed into the apartment a little lighter than when you’d left it yesterday and you couldn’t help but smile over at your finance as you did so. 

“Stanley?” You called, dropping your bag on the floor. “Where are you baby?” 

You wandered into the nursery and saw Bucky cuddled up the giant stuffed bear Tony had insisted on buying Stanley when he was first born. You couldn’t help the smile that grew on your lips as you pulled out your phone and snapped a quick picture. 

You tucked your phone back into your pocket and stepped towards the crib. Stanley was fast asleep, sucking on his thumb. You reached down and pressed a hand against his cheek. Your smile turned to a frown as you traced your thumb over the dried tear tracks left on his cheeks. 

“Doll?” Bucky’s bleary voice asked behind you. 

You turned around and tried to smile at him. “Hi, Bucky. How’d it go?” You asked softly. 

Bucky pushed to his feet. “Uh . . . great. Yeah. Really good. He was an . . . angel.” 

“Thanks for doing this, Bucky.” 

He smiled at you. “Well we couldn’t exactly say no when Bruce told us what he had planned.” He said. He gestured at your hand where your new ring still sat snuggly. You glanced at it and smiled fondly as you remembered what Bruce had told you in between kisses the night before. “Hulk wanted to be a part of it.” He’d said. “Oh?” You’d asked. Bruce had nodded. “He smashed the coal that turned into that diamond.” He’d said. You’d shaken your head. “Thanks, Hulk.” You murmured before you’d pulled Bruce back down to you. 

“Well, thank you all the same. I know Stanley can be a bit much sometimes.” 

Bucky rubbed the back of his neck. “Really? I didn’t notice.” 

You turned back to your baby as he stirred in his crib. “Mama?” He asked, rubbing his eyes. 

You smiled down at him and picked him up as he held his arms out. “Hi, baby. Did you have fun last night?” 

Stanley shot a look in Bucky’s direction before he buried his face in your neck and shook his head. You frowned at the action and glanced at Bucky. “Sorry.” You started. “He . . .” 

A sudden ROAR split the air of the apartment and Stanley’s head shot up as the apartment shook. 

“Hulk?” You called, gripping your baby as you raced to the living room where you’d left Bruce. Bucky was right on your heels. 

Hulk swung around as the three of you ran into the room. He glanced at you and Stanley, safe and sound, before his eyes turned on Bucky and narrowed. 

“Smash.” He growled, taking a step towards the soldier. 

You stepped in front of Bucky and the trained assassin took the opportunity to bolt out of the apartment. “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” You eased. “What’s going on, honey?” You asked. 

Hulk pointed a thick finger at the screen behind him where video surveillance of the night before played out on the screen. You watched with narrowing eyes as your baby literally fell out of the sky and almost crashed against the ground before Bucky caught him at the last second. You were a seething ball of rage as you brushed the remains of Stanley’s tears off his face and cooed at him. 

“Hey, sweetie. Can you help mommy?” 

Stanley nodded softly against your shoulder as he sucked on his thumb. 

You smoothed down his hair and pressed a kiss to his head. “Can you turn Uncle Stevie and Uncle Bucky’s hair pink?” 

Stanley glanced at you suspiciously. “No. Gree’.” He said firmly. 

You shook your head. “But Uncle Bucky and Uncle Stevie like pink.” 

Stanley pondered it a minute before he nodded at you seriously. “O’tay.” He said. 

His eyes glowed white and green smoke shot out of his fingers before he leaned his head back against your chest and sighed contentedly. 

You glanced up at Hulk who was smiling proudly down at Stanley. “He okay?” He asked. 

You smiled at the green giant and held Stanley out to him. Hulk took him gently and Stanley snuggled into his hand as you smiled at the two of them. “He’ll be okay.” You agreed. 

Hulk smiled. 

Four floors underneath you, Bucky ran a hand over his face as he stepped into the apartment only to stop dead in his tracks. 

“What the hell?!” He demanded pointing at Steve’s bright pink hair. 

Steve pointed at him too. “Why’s your hair pink?!” He demanded. 

“Why’s yours?!” Bucky demanded. 

Your face lit up on screen. “Smile bastards!” You said cheekily as a camera flashed. 

You glanced at your phone and smiled. “Oh yes. That will go nicely with this one, I think.” You said, showing the two soldiers the picture of Bucky cuddling the stuffed bear that was almost as big as he was. 

Bucky buried his face in his hands as Steve tried to hold back a chuckle. 

“Thanks for babysitting! I owe you one!” Your image cut out and Bucky sank into a chair. 

Steve walked over and patted him on the back. “Could have been worse.” He said, shrugging a shoulder. 

Bucky glanced up at him with disbelief burning in his eyes. “How?” He demanded. 

Steve shrugged a shoulder and walked away. “She could have heard about the stranger you tried to hire off the street to take him off our hands!” 

Bucky pushed to his feet and raced after Steve. “You take that to your grave, Rogers. You hear me? YOUR GRAVE!” 

Steve chuckled as he bolted himself in his room and asked JARVIS to soundproof the room so he could get a little shut eye. 

Watching a baby was more exhausting than he’d realized. 

Especially when that baby was a hero in the making.

**Author's Note:**

> My deepest condolences to both Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. May they rest in peace. Though they're not dead yet, it's only a matter of time before Hulk gets to them. RIP. Forgiven, but not Forgotten. October 21, 2020.
> 
> XD


End file.
